Organic Foods Healthier, Not Necessarily More Nutritious

Organic foods have become increasingly popular among shoppers because of the fact they are grown or raised with environmentally-friendly methods which avoid any kind of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, artificial ingredients or preservatives. Organic meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones.

Foods labeled “100% organic” are certified as all ingredients being organic and may carry the USDA

organic seal. If a food is labeled “organic”, at least 95% of ingredients must be organic and may also carry the USDA organic seal. If a label states, “made with organic ingredients”, the product must contain at least 70% organic ingredients, but it cannot carry the USDA Organic seal. Foods with less than 70% organic ingredients may only list organic ingredients on the side panel.

Consumers should be aware that organically grown food does not in any way attribute more nutrition to be contained in organic foods. Research studies conducted to evaluate nutrition levels in organic foods have found marginal improvement in nutrition levels at best. The real value of organic foods is the peace of mind that comes from knowing that the foods were grown without the use synthetic or chemical compounds, or additives.

Here are some helpful hints when shopping for organic foods:

•   Choose these organic fruits: peaches, nectarines, apples, grapes, pears, cherries, raspberries and strawberries;
•   Choose these organic vegetables: green beans, spinach, bell peppers, celery and potatoes;
•    Consider these organic meats: hamburger, steak, pork chops and lamb;
•   Save money with non-organic, low residue foods: asparagus, avocadoes, bananas, cauliflower, sweet corn, kiwi, mangos, onions, papaya, pineapples, and sweet peas;
•   Skip the organic Orange juice and milk because processed foods tend to have much lower residue levels than whole fruits and vegetables.

If you have any doubts I recommend you rely on the organic labeling system described above.